---
title: "Overview"
description: "Understanding Unkey's structured error system"
---

## Introduction

Unkey's error system uses a structured approach to organize and identify errors across the platform. This system makes it easier to understand, debug, and handle errors consistently.

## Error Code Format

All Unkey error codes follow a consistent URN-like format:

```
err:system:category:specific
```

For example: `err:unkey:authentication:missing`

This format breaks down as follows:

- **err**: Standard prefix for all error codes
- **system**: The service area or responsibility domain (e.g., unkey, user)
- **category**: The error type or classification (e.g., authentication, data)
- **specific**: The exact error condition (e.g., missing, malformed)

## Systems

The "system" component identifies where the error originated:

- **unkey**: Errors originating from Unkey's internal systems
- **github**: Errors related to GitHub integration
- **aws**: Errors related to AWS integration

## Categories

The "category" component provides a second level of classification, for example:

- **authentication**: Errors related to the authentication process
- **authorization**: Errors related to permissions and access control
- **application**: Errors related to application operations and system integrity
- **data**: Errors related to data operations and resources
- **limits**: Rate limiting or quota-related errors

## Error Response Format

When an error occurs, the API returns a consistent JSON response format:

```json
{
  "meta": {
    "requestId": "req_2c9a0jf23l4k567"
  },
  "error": {
    "detail": "Authentication credentials were not provided",
    "status": 401,
    "title": "Unauthorized",
    "type": "https://unkey.com/docs/api-reference/errors-v2/unkey/authentication/missing"
  }
}
```

Key fields:
- **requestId**: Unique identifier for the request (important for support)
- **detail**: Human-readable explanation of the error
- **status**: HTTP status code
- **title**: Short summary of the error type
- **type**: URL to detailed documentation about this error

## Documentation Integration

All error codes have a corresponding documentation page accessible via the `type` URL in the error response. These pages provide detailed information about:

- What caused the error
- How to fix the issue
- Common mistakes that lead to this error
- Related errors you might encounter
